Best Public Schools in Forest, MS

The city of Forest, Mississippi is home to four schools that serve students from elementary through high school, including Scott Central Attendance Center, Forest Elementary School, Hawkins Middle School, and Forest High School. These schools serve a diverse student population, with varying academic performance and funding levels across the district.

Scott Central Attendance Center stands out as an alternative school with a unique student population, including a higher percentage of African American and Hispanic students compared to the state average. While its test scores are generally lower than the district and state averages, the school serves a high-need student population, with 100% of its students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. In contrast, Forest Elementary School has a significant Hispanic student population, but its performance on standardized tests is significantly lower than the state average, ranking in the bottom 20% of Mississippi elementary schools.

Across the district, there are stark differences in academic performance, with some schools performing well below the state average, particularly in core subjects like English Language Arts and Mathematics. The high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch across all the schools indicates a predominantly low-income student population, which may require additional resources and support to ensure their academic success. Additionally, the differences in spending per student across the schools suggest the need for equitable funding and resource allocation to address the observed performance gaps and support the diverse student populations in the Forest Municipal School District and Scott County School District.